Cricket 1905

GKET, A W E E KLY RECO RD OF T H E GAM E. FEB. 23, 1905. “ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.” — Byron. Ho. 6 8 1 . VOI.. X X IV . CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. ME. D. Q. STEEL. Contemporary in the Cambridge eleven with the Hon. Alfred and the Hon. Edward Lyttelton, Mr. A. P. Lucas, Mr. W. S. Patterson, his famous brother Allan, and other great players, Mr. D. Q. Steel was one of the best and most attractive batsmen of his day. As a schoolboy at Uppingham he had a wonderful reputation, for he made hundred after hundred for the school atalime when grounds were poor and large scores were the excep­ tion, and it did not seem to matter in the least to him how good was the bowling op­ posed to him. It must be remembered that the Uppingham eleven in his days was so strong in batting that visiting teams were always made as strong in bowling as was possible. Hence Mr. Steel’s school record will compare very favourably with any which has been made since his time. But for his inability to play regularly in first- clss cricket he would certainly have been nearly at the top of the tree before his career ended, and whenever he could get away he was always regarded as a very dangerous batsman by opposing teams. He is described in the 1878 green Lilly- white as : “ One of the most powerful players of the day, bitting well all round, and possessing a fine forward drive. Is specially effective against good bowling, and would undoubtedly have played for the Gentlemen had he not overdone himself before the University match, being palpably stale after playing his great innings of 158 against Surrey. Bowls slow round-arm, but has lost much of the THURSDAY , FEB. 23, 1905. spin and pitch which secured him wickets at Uppingham. Fields well, and can keep wicket fairly. Played for Lan­ cashire.” Mr. Steel is one of the few men who have played both Association and Eugby Union football for their University. He played Association for Cambridge in 1876, ’77, and ’78, and Eugby Union in 1878. He has also played Eugby for Lancashire. In recent years he has played golf with much success. Mr. Steel went to Uppingham in 1870. “ I was then fourteen years old,” he said, “ and I got into the eleven iu the following year. This was before H. H. Stephenson went to Uppingham. The first time I saw him was at the Oval in a match between Uppingham and the Surrey Club and Ground, for which he wa» playing. He was very greatly liked at Uppingham. When he first went thero he had a most difficult position to fill, for the headmaster, Mr. Thring, PR ICE 3d greatly disliked the idea of having a professional as cricket coach. But H. H. showed so much tact, and was of such a good natured disposition, that Thring at last liked him so well that he used to refer to him as the cricket master. Stephenson went to Uppingham in my second year there ; he was an exceedingly good coach, and well knew how to bring out all the good points in a boy’s play.” “ Uppingham had a remarkably good eleven during your time ? ” “ There'were’several men in it who were afterwards very well known, including A. P. Lucas, W. S. Patter­ son, H.T. Luddington, and Sandford Schultz. These four were all in the Cambridge eleven in 1877, and all five of us played against Oxford that year. I remember a match which attracted some attention at the time that we were at Uppingham. George L on gm an b ro u g h t down a Cambridge team which included six of the men who played against Oxford a fortnight later. They made about 280, and we beat them by an innings. I also remember that when I went in Charlie Til- lard was bowling and I was so nervous that I had a wild swipe at the first ball I received. Fortunately for me I happened to get well hold of it, and it went out of the ground.” “ How long were you in the Cambridge elsven?” “ Four years. I went up in 1875, and was in the eleven as a Freshman ; I was exactly contemporary with Alfred Lyttel­ ton. In the University match I never did much, but I think I was second or third in the averages during those years. I was fortunate enough to be a member of the 1878 team, which has always been